There are a huge number of things to do when starting a new business, but you should make certain items on your list more of a priority than others. One of the most important things to do when setting up a food business is to ensure that you and all those who work for you undergo food hygiene training.

As a company which processes, manufactures or serves food to the general public, you have more responsibilities when it comes to safety than other businesses. Standards of hygiene and cleanliness need to be extremely high, and a strict food safety management system needs to be implemented, in order to ensure that the food you provide or serve is safe to consume.

Not only could public health be at risk if standards at your business are not up to scratch; you could also face prosecution and potentially huge fines if you breach food safety regulations.

It can be difficult to know what your responsibilities are as the head of a new food business, which is why you should be the first of all your staff to go on a food safety training course.

See part 2 of this guide for more advice and help on food safety training for new food businesses.